Railroad switch



L's. REID.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG.25. 1921.

1,40 ,079, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET a 52 Z a 1. s REID.

RAILROAD SWITCH. v AFPLICK'HQN FILED AUG.25,I92 1- 1,406,079, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

30 5 2 SHEETSSHEET-2. 4 H 1 1' v 53 f5 7 Fl 9 5 p l I Z 25 fJ 5 Hell! QXJMMQOQ I all) 77? A UNITED STATES:

PATENT, OFFICE.

Juan's 5.1mm, or HALBBISBURQIILLINOIS.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJAMEs S. REID, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of" Salinev and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1 'i This invention relates to an improved railroad switch and one object of. the invention is to provide aswitch so constructed that the switch can be set to permit a train to enter a side track and. while so set permit a'train moving along the maintrack from the opposite direction to passover the switch and continue along the main track-wit'hout danger of being derailed. I

@Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having fthe- {switch l point mounted in a novel manner and so mounted that it may have easys'winging' movement but at the same time'be prevented from hav ing vertical movement.

Another ob 'ect of the invention: is to provide a switch so constructed that themain body portion thereof including rail sections for connection'with the rails of the main track and side: track may be cast in one piece and easily put in place. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having improved means for guiding the wheels over the switch point.

Thi'sinvention is illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, wherein: I Figure 1 isa top planview of theimproved switch. Y

Figure 2 is a view showing the improved switch in side elevation.-

Figure 3 is abottom plan View of the switch.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectionalview through the switch taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Figure 5 is a top plan view ofon'eof the side castings forming part of the switch.

. Figure 6is a-perspe'ctiveviewf-of a switch point which'will be mounted upon the cast ing shownin'Fig. 5. r

This switch is used iii-connection with arailroad track and will be mounted upon the ties l'between the rai-ls- 2 and 3 of-the main track and will serve. the usual purpose of guidinga train either.- fro'na the; rails 2 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 7,: 1,922. Application filed August 25,1921. Serial No. 495,200. I I r of the main track tothe rails 3 thereof or from the rails 2 of the main track to the rails lot a side track. As previously stated, the object of the invention is toprovide a switch so constructed that with the switch set to guide .a train from-the .rails 2 to the 1 rails 3 or to the railsl l 'a train approaching from the. opposite direction along the rails 3 or 4 may pass over the switch without danger of being derailed.

; This improvedlswitch is provided with I side sections of aduplicate construction and are cast upon theplate 5 and a rail section 10 for cooperationwith the rails lflof the side track-his also castup'on the bas'e plate adjacent the; rail sections 9. An: upstanding flange or strip ll ex tends longitudinally of the plate 5 and extends above a runner 12 .which is positioned between; the strip 11 and rail section 10,-as showninFigifiso that the flange of a wheel when leaving the rail section 10 may rest upon "this runner strip112.

This runner strip12 has one end portion :1

tapered as shown at 13 and has this-tapering end'portion; 13 terminating short of the end ofthe flange lland' beveled from; its upper face to provide a slop-ingendf portion 14 as shown in Fig. 5-; Thisslopi-ng endportion 14: terminates'short of theend of the rail section 8 but the strip 11 is extended as showninto relatively overlapping relation to{ this rail section 8.. The inner end oi the rail section 8 is rounded as shown in Fig; 5

and has its lower portion-undercutto provide a pocket 15 asshown in Fig. 2 and the ends of the; rail sections 9 and 10an'd block 16' which brafcestheir converging ends are undercut-'to'providea pocket 17 so thatthe switch point may have'swinging movement but will be prevented from having vertical movement-t v The switch point'18 "fitsupon the base between 1-"sections anl has one portion t a v 19 and--tongue 20,, the; provided 'to' receive the rounded endy of seat l9jbeing the-rail section 8'whenthe ton'gue 20whi'oh tor-ms part the switch point-.18 i's'fitted into the pocket 15 of the rail section 8. "The end of thetongue20 is curved to conform to the curvature of the upstanding wall at the inner end of the seat 19 so that the rail at the inner'end of the pocket 15 which'is. curved similar to the rounded end of this rail section above the pocket will be properly engaged-and the vswitch point permitted to swing easily in the arc of a circle." 'At-the opposite end, the switch pointis cut away from its upper face-thus providing a tongue extension 21 for extending into the "ocket or cutout 1 7; "These tongues 20 anc 21 do not interfere with free swinging movement of the switch point but at the same time they prevent the switch point from having vertical movement.

" i Therefore, the tread portion'of the switch point will be held injproper position relative to the treads of the rail sections 8, 9 and 10. This switch point ,is providedet one end with a depression or groove 22 which decreases in depth as shown in Fig.

6 until it merges into the-upperfitace of the'switch point and at its opposite end has its inner side portion cutaway to provide a face23 which slopes downwardlyjtoward the endof the switch point and gradually decreases in width. 11rom an inspection of Fig.1? and F1g. 1,;1t*w11l be seen that tins cutting of the switchpointprovides a sec-'' "tion; 24 which will form afcontinuation of? "the railsection 8 and'sections 25 and 26 ears 31-ofj the switchpoints and it will thus be seen that when the draw bar is moved by means of a suitable mechanism not shown, the switch points will be moved together tcset the switch and direct a'train either along the main track or into a side track, Arcuate slot-s32 are provided in the base plate and receive 'p1ns'83 carried by the switch points so that the swinging of the switch points will be guided and the amount of swing permitted limitedfl After the switch has been set in a desired position, a securing pin 34 which'is carried by a chain 35 is passed throughan opening in the connecting bar or housing" and through an opening formed in the draw bar,

This'dr'aw bar is'provided with two of the pin receiving openings so that the'switch points can be secured against movement .afterbeing properly set direct theitrain alon theim'ain track or into a side track.

ith theswitchset as'shown in -Fig.

1, a train moving along the track from the 7 track and approaching the switch from; the

right-hand side of this figure will pass from the the rails 3 onto the rail sections 9, Upon reaching the switch, the flange of the wheels upon one side willpass'between thesections 25 and 260i the switch and the wheels after leaving the groove22 will pass across the upper face of the switchpoint andwhen the flanges of the wheels reach the sloping por tion 230i the switehtp'oint, the wheels will engage the end portion 24015 the switch point and after oassin over this portion,

roll along the rail section 8 onto the'rails 2. During'thisoperation, the wheels at'the opposite side of the train :will pass out of engagement with. the 'railsection 9 and the flanges of the wheels will rest upon and 1-ou along'the strip 12. The guiding flange 11 by engaging the flanges of the'wheels j left-hand side of the figure will be directed from the rails 2' across the switch andover" the railsections 10 onto the rails t of the side track. With the switch still set in this position, a train moving alongj the 'main will prevent the wheels from leaving the stri 1 2. This strip 12 is of theizproper thic mess so that when the wheels reach the endof the strip 12,5the fianges of the wheels-will'enga e the end portion 2 i of theswitch pointand will ride onto therail section I S at the same time-that the wheels of the 'first mentioned side 'of thetrain engage the rail section 8; It'willthus be seen that with this construction, a "train mayenter a siding and a second train ap proaching the switch from the opposite direction' may pass over the switch without it being necessary to reset the switch and with- I out any: danger of the second train being derailed. With the switch set in the opposite direction, the first train would move along the main track and .over the switch onto .the' rails 3 of the maintrack and train moving out of the side track could pass over.

the switch and continue along the main track without danger of being derailed and without it being necessary to reset-the switch. 7' A switch has thus-been provided which will he very-. efiective-in operation due to the fact that the wheels can be properly guided and also due to the fact that the sivitclrpoints may have the prop'er against vertical mo i ement.

I claimrf 1 1.. A main track, a side track, and a switch structure for controlling passage of trains structure comprising side sections each having a base plate, rail sections rigid with the 'end portionsof the base'plate and ex-- tending. 'inealineinent"with the rails of the transverse swingin movement and be heldalong the main andside tracks,said switch imain and 'side tracks, aswitch point ex- E Vtendinglongitudinally of the base plat 'b;

tween the rail sections carried by the end portions thereof,,tongues extending from the ends of the switch point and fitting into pockets in the rail sections of the base .to hold the switch point against vertical'movement, and means for simultaneously imparting transverse swinging movement to the switch points of the side sections and reside tracks, a switch point extending longitudina-lly of the base plate between the rail sections carried by the end portions thereof, a wheel engaging and guiding strip extend ing longitudinally of the baseplate 'to one side of the switch point, and extending in relatively overlapping relation to the rail sections at the ends of said base plate, a wheel supporting strip between the switch point and guiding strip, and means for moving the switch'points transversely and releasably holding the same in a set position.

3. The structure of claim 2 'having'the wheel supporting strip terminating short of the rail section at one end of the base 1 plate and tapered transversely whereby the said tapered end portion of the wheel sup-' porting strip Will'be out of engagement with the switch point when the switch point is swung into engagementwith the supporting strip. I

4. A main track, a side track, and a switch structure for controlling passage of trains along the main and side tracks, said switch structure comprising side sections each having a base plate, rail sections rigid with. the end portions of the base plate and extending in alinement with the rails of the main and side tracks, a switch point extending longitudinally of the base plate between the rail sections carried by the end portions thereof, means for holding the switch points'against vertical movement and means for swinging the switch points transversely to an adjusted position.

The structure of claim 4.- havingthe switch point provided with a longitudinally extending groove increasing in depth toward the end of the switch point and adapted to receive the flange of a wheel moving off of a'rail section at the end of the base plate, the opposite end portionof the switch point being tapered and having one'iside portion sloping downwardly toward the end of the switch point and forming the second side portion of the last mentioned end portion of the switch point, a rail section forming a continuation of the rail section upon the end'of the base plate.

" In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES s. REID. 

